Worth the Risk
by Trixie21
Summary: Young Molly Prewett is meeting Arthur Weasley outside Hogwarts for a nighttime walk. Simple and sweet & now 2 parter.
1. Part 1

**Disclaimer:** No, I can't say as I own Arthur or Molly. And even as wonderful as the idea is to behold, I'm rather happy with J.K.R.'s ownership of them. She may not have opened all the secrets of the Weasleys wide open for the world, but at least we poor humble fan writers can have fun expanding on what we do know about them.

* * *

**Worth the Risk**

"Psssst," hissed a voice as loudly as one would dare at such a time of night.

Molly Prewett's thick auburn-red hair billowed slightly as she looked over quickly to see her cousin Gisella peering out from around the corner of the girl's dormitory stairwell.

"Where are _you_ going?" the other 6th year asked in a roughly whispered tone.

"Never you mind, Gisella," was Molly's hurried response as she pulled her cloak on over her Gryffindor robes, "It's none of your business anyway."

Gisella's eyes went three times larger than their normally large size.

"You're not -- not going out to meet _him_ -- are you?"

Anger reared in Molly's chest at Gisella's accusatory tone.

"And what if I am? What say do you have over it?"

"Molly, you know what Uncle Patrick said about them. Aunt Melinda -- your mum -- can't stand their family. If you're caught sneaking around with him…"

"I'll just have to make sure I don't get caught then, won't I?" was Molly's challenging reply before she shoved open the picture from before the port hole and clamored out.

"And where do you think you're going at this time of night, missy," questioned the Fat Lady as Molly shut her over the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. "You know you shouldn't be outside the common room after 9 unless you're accompanied by a teacher. Is it really worth getting caught and punished just to spend a little time with a boy? Who is it you're going to see anyway? It is a boy you're sneaking out to meet, isn't it?"

Molly clenched her teeth tightly to keep herself from shouting, 'What business is it of anyone else's where I go or who I spend my time with!'

She instead managed to bleat out, "I'm going for some air" before hurrying off down the halls.

What business _was_ it of anyone else's? She had a perfect right to see anyone she wanted and if it just happened to be that the one she wanted to see was Arthur Weasley, then who was anyone else to say whether she could or could not. All this business about old families and high-and-mighty purebloods and such… So what if her father and mother thought they were better than the average wizard family. His family was every bit as pure blooded as hers. Not that that any of it mattered to Arthur. She could have been as Muggle as any in London and if he fancied her still, than there was little more to the matter to him. Of course with his keen interest in Muggles and their odd way of living, her being a Muggle would probably have been a bonus to his way of thinking.

Molly gave a grim smirk at that last. His way of thinking… It was rather odd when you looked at it from a more logical point of view. Well, a more wizardly point of view anyway. To be so interested Muggles and their world… It never made sense to her to worry about them so much. Certainly one had to know enough about them to not have accidents which revealed themselves, but his interest went beyond. The way he talked about sneaking out of his house during the summer to go snooping about the Muggle town nearby… He was seriously going to get in trouble one of these days with that Muggle fascination of his. And honestly, where could such a thing lead him if not to trouble?

Molly made her way through the halls and after two close runs ins -- one with Peeves the poltergeist, the other with caretaker Apollyon Pringle's new assistant, Mr. Filch, -- she found the secret stone and tapped twice on it with the end of her wand as Arthur had shown her only that morning. The stone vanished and Molly slipped through to find Arthur waiting for her just as he'd promised he would be. He quickly stood his tall lanky frame straight from his slouched leaning against the wall and gave three taps of his wand in the empty space, magically setting the missing stone back in its place.

At the sight of the young wizard's dancing blue eyes and shock of hair shining red even in the moonlight, Molly bit her lower lip as that strange wave of excitement and euphoria swept through her just as it always did when she was with him. Arthur looked down at her and grinned devilishly before he grabbed her hand and with a hushed, "Hurry, this way," quickly led her down to the edge of the lake and into the small grove of trees that lined a portion of the lake's edge. Once beside the lake they stopped and Molly looked out to see the reflection of the moon dancing upon the water's surface.

"Are you sure it's safe to be out here like this, Arthur?" she asked hesitantly as she turned to look back up at the normally light colored face that now seemed almost white in the moon light. "I mean, aren't there supposed to be…things…out here roaming about at night?"

Arthur gave a soft indulgent smile.

"Nothing to worry about, Molly. Not here anyway. It's not a full moon, so no werewolves, and there's nothing that likes to walk on land that wants to get too close to the lake at night."

Molly gave him a grimace.

"Just the stupid fools standing here now?"

Arthur grinned.

"And who's the more foolish? Me for being here in the first place or you for following?"

Molly gave him a sharp look and Arthur ducked his head slightly by way of an apology.

"Oh come on, Molly, lighten up. It's alright, really."

When Molly gave him no sign that her unappeased look would be relenting anytime soon, Arthur gave a soft sigh before he said gently and somberly, "Molly, do you really think I'd ask you to meet me out here if there was any chance of you getting hurt?"

Molly took in his serious expression before she finally sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly from their indignant set.

"I'm sorry, Arthur. I just…well…it just seems so dangerous out here like this. I mean with…_him_…running around and all…did you read the post this morning? Two more missing Ministry officials last week. Then there was that one woman from over in Kent that they found dead without a mark on her. Arthur, they have no idea what actually happened to her, but they're sure it was him. Or at least one of his followers. And it's getting worse all the time."

Arthur watched her quietly as Molly went on for several more minutes before the young woman suddenly found herself held against him gently. For a brief moment she could make nothing of it and was at a loss at how to respond, but she recovered quickly to realize he was trying to comfort her. Though he was hardly the big wizard at Hogwarts and no one could claim he was the bravest among them, Molly still found a sense of security and protection in his arms. One she'd never felt from anyone before. He seemed so strong just then. So sure. As if right here really was the safest place for her to be. And then of course there was that wonderful feeling of pleasure running through her at the touch of him.

"Molly," he began softly, "I would never bring you anywhere there was a chance of danger to you. I would never put you in harms way knowingly or willingly, and if by accident I ever did, I can tell you you'd be hard pressed to find anyone moving faster than I to see the mistake corrected and to see you to safety. I have it from the Headmaster himself that Professor Aquarilon places special enchantments upon the lake every year that keep students safe from being meals for anything serious in there and Gameskeeper Ogg says that with Hagrid's knack with the animals around here, nothing sets paw or hoof on the immediate grounds except by his say so. As for…_him_… Well, I've heard the teachers talking and they all agree that there is no place safer from him than Hogwarts. He doesn't dare set foot on the grounds what with all the protection around and no one yet who isn't allowed has found a way in. Trust me, Molly. You're safe."

Despite his convinced tone, Molly shuddered anyway.

"Maybe for now," she said, "But for how much longer?"

She shifted to look up, the worry plain in her eyes.

"It's not going to get better anytime soon, Arthur. It isn't. Everyone can feel it it seems, except for you. Always goofing about…never taking anything seriously. Honestly, Arthur, how you ever managed to make it to your seventh year is still beyond me. If it wasn't for Muggle Studies and Charms you'd be hopeless."

Arthur grinned smugly.

"Only nearly so. I do have you after all."

Molly felt the heat rise in her cheeks as she blushed warmly under his direct gaze.

"And just to clarify, I do take things seriously," continued Arthur admittingly. "Honestly, Molly, I'm just as scared as anyone else is right now. But I won't let it all keep me from living. There are other things out there besides death and fear and really, those aren't even the worst. Maybe I do come of a bit casual sometimes about some things, but it's only because I know that when the time comes for me to fight, I'll stand and fight and take my turn just like everyone else. I'll meet it no more bravely than anyone else. I won't go looking for it, but I won't run from it either. If I'm alive now, I'm going to live, not just exist. And, well, if I can make a few people smile too for a moment, than all the better. In the meantime, I'll hold out hoping that eventually it will all be over and we all can live the normal lives we're supposed too."

Molly looked at him a moment more before she smiled. When put that way, he was in a sense thumbing his nose right back at Lord Voldemort. And so was every other wizard and witch that still continued to do all the normal things people did. By not spending all his time worrying that the next moment would be his last, he was better able to enjoy his moments even with the dangers in the world. Voldemort could not control them all and he could certainly not stop people from doing all those natural normal things. There would still be families… There would still be friends… There would still be love…

Molly settled her cheek and palms against his chest with a soft smile.

"Oh Arthur. What am I going to do with you?" she asked gently feeling as Arthur leaned his face down onto her head.

She felt his lips pull up into a grin before his muffled voice answered from her hair, "Let me take you on that stroll I promised and maybe talk about something other than the world's worries?"

Molly's smile broadened as well before she nodded silently.

"So we're to pretend nothing exists but us then?"

"Even if only for a little while," affirmed Arthur.

The young woman stepped back then as the wizard took hold of her hand and began to lead her along at a leisurely pace along the chilly tree lined beach, and for a while, nothing did exist but the two of them. They talked at length about many things: school, other friends, Quidittch, detentions, lessons, family and even their own personal thoughts about their futures. Sometimes serious, but most often laughingly, Molly managed, though not without a little effort initially, to play along. After a bit however, her smiles became fully natural and her keening interest in Arthur rose high as the magic of their private moments took them over. Soon they were playing about in a loose 'catch-me-if-you-can' game until Arthur caught her in his arms and surprised her by leaning in and kissing her…

Molly's shock could not have been any greater than if he'd suddenly admitted that he was Lord Voldemort himself. She knew clearly that Arthur liked her. Of that there had never been doubt, but this was a move she hadn't expected from him. At least not right now with he being such the gentleman he was. But then again…

Perhaps it shouldn't have been quite so unexpected. When she considered what he had said earlier about going on with the business of living despite the troubles in the world, it in fact made sense that he would tempt the fates (as well as her possible rebuke) with a kiss. He lived for the here and now and worries were handled when it was time. He didn't avoid them or hide from them. He just didn't spend hours at a time as she did obsessing over the least little thing before it happened. When he felt the need to do something he did it and strangely enough was that it rarely was off the mark.

Even now, as she tried to understand the motivation for his kiss at this moment, she suddenly realized that she hadn't pulled away to admonish him for his unusually bold step. His lips still met hers in that oh so gentle of touches and even more amazing was that she found herself with no interest what-so-ever in stepping away. She should have. She knew it. Her mind was telling her quite clearly that she had to pull free and tell him off for taking such advantage of her. Her body, however was on quite another train of thought about it. One that was most adamant about leaning in that much closer and allowing it take her away.

For a moment hardly definable by any ordinary measurement of time, her mind and body tug-of-warred undecidedly over the issue before her heart overrode both of them. Her heart, remembering that she had already felt the stirrings of being in love, convinced her to take the kiss for all it was worth and her lips instinctively softened against his.

There was a soft catch of breath from him in response, her body was pulled closer as her arms snaked up to settle around his neck, and from there the world was transferred into a hazy film of touch and pleasure.

Whether it was seconds minutes or hours that ticked by, she couldn't tell. Not that she cared. All she could be sure of was that when Arthur pulled his face back to look at her, she was suddenly struck with the awful feeling of disappointment that it had ended. All she could think was how lovely it would have been to continue so much longer.

Gazing up at Arthur, Molly saw a gentle content expression upon his face and with a demure tilt of her head, she gave a soft playful smirk at it. Arthur's eyes sparkled as he grinned widely.

"Rather pleased with yourself, aren't you?" asked Molly lightheartedly. "Taking a chance like that… Risking I might be mad at you for it."

Arthur grinned even wider with a nod that was only half admitting in nature.

Molly rolled her eyes as she teasingly continued, "And here all this time I thought you were a gentleman."

"I am a gentlemen," Arthur said with airy confidence.

The young woman fixed him with a loose skeptical glare.

"And how exactly do you figure that?"

Arthur grinned again with mischievous intent.

"I didn't run up and kiss you the first time I saw you. Honestly, Molly. It's been absolute torture waiting so long for this. "

Molly blinked in wide eyed astonishment for a second before her cheeks flamed red at what he was inferring and she could not help but look away overwhelmed.

"I mean that, Molly," Arthur continued softly after a few moments. "The moment I saw you step up for sorting, I knew there was just something about you that took me completely over. Something wonderful and special… Something I just couldn't shake even if I'd wanted to. Every time you walked by, I just had to stop and watch. And the more I watched, the more I wanted to know you. I was a little afraid at first, that you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me, but somehow you did and I know I'm lucky for having had any chance at all."

Molly looked back to him with a gentle smile.

"Arthur, you've always had more of a chance than most."

A delighted smile crossed his face at that and he quickly pulled her back into a tight embrace.

"It doesn't matter that my brother, and your parents, they might not approve of this?"

The young woman shook her head against his chest.

"Not in the least."

She paused.

"And what about you? Not afraid my mother will have my brothers stuff you into cupboard or send you into the middle of the North Sea?"

Arthur gave a sharp highly amused bark of laughter.

"Fabian and Gideon absolutely love me."

Now it was Molly's turn to chuckle.

"Perhaps, but they do love me more."

The seventh year nodded.

"So they do. But I doubt highly that they would let your mother bully them into doing anything to me for no reason at all except that I exist. All I need to do is make sure they have no reason to come after me themselves and I'll be quite safe."

"With my brothers and their tempers that's quite a risk. Are you sure it's one you really want to take?"

"Molly," came Arthur's quiet response, "_You_ are worth any risk."

There was a moment before Molly tightened her arms around Arthur and for a while there was no more to be said. There was nothing she could say. Arthur had just revealed to her a level of commitment and interest she'd never imagined anyone could have for anything. But to discover that he held just such a level of interest in her alone… Not even his Muggle fascination could compare to this. It was easily apparent as well that if she so demanded it of him, he would more than likely have foregone his Muggle obsessions just to be with her.

Molly closed her eyes.

She would not do that. No, she would not ever ask him to give up something he loved so much. She could not ask it of him. It was a part of him and as such she could accept that. She would accept it. And she would share him with it. She could do that.

Arthur gently rubbed her arm.

"Well, Molly girl, I think we should head on back, before we're missed."

Molly sighed.

"So soon?"

Arthur pulled away slightly and looked down at her in surprise.

"You?"

Molly blinked at him.

"What?"

"Molly, I never thought you of all people would want to willingly and unquestioningly break the rules to the point of un-salvageability. Me on the other hand…"

"Yes, well, breaking the rules never felt quite so right before."

Arthur laughed as he slipped an arm around her shoulders and started to lead them back to the school.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't want your good name ruined in just one night on my account."

She looked up at him with an impish smirk.

"Two, then?"

"Now that's more like it," he said with a grin.

"Oy! You there! What do ya' think you're doin' out 'ere! Come 'ere you!"

Arthur's smile died instantly as they looked to the right and saw a figure striding quickly towards them from the direction of the Forbidden Woods.

"Bad luck for us, it's Pringle!" he said earnestly as he shoved Molly before him. "Run to the stone, hurry!"

Picking up on Arthur's panic, Molly ran as he instructed, but called back as they rounded a corner of the castle, "Bad luck? What do you mean?"

"It's better to be caught by just about anyone else as you'll get no more than a severe ear full and a few detentions. But Caretaker Pringle still has the old punishments in place. If we get caught, he's got permission by the old codes to do worse then yell!"

"You don't seriously mean that he would…"

"That's exactly what I mean!" Arthur answered quickly as they pulled to a stop before the secret stone. He tapped the magic entry way twice and gently pushed Molly towards the opening.

"Go! Hurry!"

Molly stopped halfway through.

"Wait! What about you?"

"He'll be around the corner any moment, Molly. If he doesn't see anyone when he comes around he'll figure we've gone in somehow and he'll do the same. He'll alert the portraits and ghosts and before you know it he'll know exactly who was out. I kept you in front of me so he wouldn't see both of us and would assume it was just one person. I'll occupy him long enough for you to get to the tower and then I'll lose him and get back in myself."

"But that's not fair, Arthur! I'll stay with you…"

"No Molly, go!"

Arthur gave her a further gentle push causing her to stumble slightly back through the rest of the opening and into the castle. She saw him tap the air with his wand thrice and back the stone appeared in its correct place. Molly stared at the stone for a moment in unhappy indecision. She wanted to go back with him; risk whatever penalty was in store if they were both caught. Even if it was as Arthur suggested and far from a benign punishment, it just wasn't fair that he might have to face it alone when she was by rights just as in the wrong as he.

But he'd been so insistent…he'd even tried to cover her presence by running just behind her so Caretaker Pringle hopefully saw only one of them.

Molly huffed. Well, if he wanted her to go back to the tower, than she would. But she was going to wait in the common room for him. Wait until he made it back in safe and sound. Just to be sure. And then she would let him know precisely what she thought of his bossing her around…even if it was for her safety. If he was going to include her in his life, then to her it meant in every way appropriate and that he would have to accept her opinions and choices as well. If they did something wrong together, then they would stand and get in trouble together. He didn't hide from the responsibility of his actions and neither would she.

Molly's return to the common room was easy only in so far as she ran into no one on her way there. Her arrival, however, was marked well by a very indignant Fat Lady.

"Where in the good heavens have you been young lady? Do you realize how late it is? Four in the morning! No! You didn't know, did you? Just flitting about all night getting into who knows what with who knows who... No self respecting young woman should ever dare do such a thing. Why, I was worried sick about you! Asking all the other paintings where you'd gone off too and if you'd come back in…I was just about ready to send for the headmaster! Don't give me that look young lady! I could still just as easily do it now and let you get into all the trouble you deserve. Why, I daresay you could even be expelled for this.

"Really! A witch of your blood and breeding ought to know better. Ought to do better. Ought to make an example to all the other younger witches how to be a proper young lady. I used to think that if ever there was a girl with a good head on her shoulders made just for going places grand in the world, it was you. Now I can hardly believe I used to call you one of my favorites. Really! I'm so upset and insulted. I've half a mind not to let you in at all. Let you sit out here in the hall and if someone catches out of the tower, let them take you for it and toss you out.

"Humph! And all that for a boy no doubt. Who is he now? Who is it that has you so confounded that you would let yourself do something so brainless? You won't tell me? Fine. Keep your secret. I'll know soon enough anyway. But let me give you a little piece of advice missy. Whoever he is, he's not worth it. Here today, gone tomorrow you know. I've seen it a million times, and don't think I haven't. They're so quick to move from one to another…can't ever seem to make up their minds. Why, they never even realize when they let someone good go, and oh, don't let them get in trouble because of you. They'll send all the blame your way and write you off a moment later. You see if they don't."

The Fat Lady finally swung open to admit Molly.

"Now you get on in there, and don't you dare let me catch you doing something like this again. I'll call the headmaster immediately and everyone in the school will know about it. I promise."

Molly, though tired and concerned for Arthur, was half tempted to argue in return to the Fat Lady, but wisely decided against it. She was letting her go without turning her in to the headmaster (or anyone else for that matter), and while it would have felt immeasurably gratifying to get some of her frustration out, now was just not the time. So, she climbed through and into the common room barely in time to keep from getting caught by the door.

She looked about the darkened room before sighing. Her anger abated, her frustration once more giving way to her worry, she slowly curled up on the nearest chair and staring into the last of the dieing embers within the fireplace, she waited for Arthur's return.

It was a very long wait.

* * *

A/N: Well, as you can see, to go along with my madness for fluffy cute pairings, I have a particular interest in Arthur and Molly Weasley from the Harry Potter books. There's just something about those two. Both in the books and their portrayal in the movies, they come off to me as quite the couple. They're quite adorably amusing together, very loving and the history that is suggested for them is intriguing as well. 

He has a brother with which he apparently refuses to speak to, Molly (the poor thing) lost both of her brothers to Death Eaters (it took five of them to bring those two down!), he's the more relaxed of the two while she the stalwart rock of the family… I think I could really have some fun with these two during their Hogwarts years. Besides the potential for fluffiness I'd be willing to bet that they had some adventures of their own within the years of LV's height of power.

Anyway, this is just a little something I came up with when the idea to do a fic with these two was at it's strongest. It references a little incident that Molly spoke of during her and Bill's visit to Hogwarts as Harry's family in "The Goblet of Fire". She mentions how the Fat Lady was there when she was a girl and gave her "such a telling off" after coming in at four in the morning. Poor Arthur had been caught by the caretaker of that time and still 'had the marks' from that late night stroll. Since Filch mentioned in "The Sorcerer's Stone" that he wished the old punishments hadn't died out ( "hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days" ) and that he kept the chains oiled just on case, we can reasonably assume that Arthur's punishment, being as he still bears the marks, was not a particularly pleasant one. (Sigh) Poor Arthur.

Hmmm. You know…I might just have to make this a two parter. :D


	2. Part 2

**Disclaimer:** No, I can't say as I own Arthur or Molly. And even as wonderful as the idea is to behold, I'm rather happy with J.K.R.'s ownership of them. She may not have opened all the secrets of the Weasleys wide open for the world, but at least we poor humble fan writers can have fun expanding on what we do know about them.

* * *

**Worth the Risk**

**Part 2**

By the time Arthur finally returned to Gryffindor Tower it was nearly time for breakfast and students were already filing out past in groups as he came up to the portrait hole. Several gave him an odd staring at as though trying to deduce why he would be heading back to the common room with his heavy cloak over his arm and his tie slung around his neck carelessly. He could well imagine their thoughts were 'It's Saturday! He's a seventh year! Why would he want to wear his school uniform?'

Arthur at the moment was too tired and too sore to care. All he wanted to do just then was get to his dorm room, flop onto his bed and sleep the day away, but as he climbed through into the common room, it was clear that his needs would have to wait.

From before a chair just aside the hearth, several girls stood peering down at the chair's occupant. Arthur could clearly see Molly's distinctive head of hair sticking out from the side slightly, and when one girl looked up and caught sight of him coming through the opening, he saw her quickly inform the other girls. They all looked at him then, and in an instant Molly was up and turning to face him.

Arthur finished climbing through and stood straight before daring to look at Molly. The moment he did, he almost wished he hadn't. With dark crescents beneath, the young witch's eyes looked bleary from lack of sleep, but it certainly did not in the least take anything away from her accusing glare and firmly set jaw.

The young man swallowed nervously.

Molly's friends looked silently from their friend, to Arthur, and then each other before taking their queue and hastily leaving the common room.

The Irish/Welsh temper of the Prewett family was already legendary in the halls of Hogwarts and there wasn't a student or teacher there that wanted to be on the wrong side of it once it had a full head of steam for there was nothing, in most cases, short of magic that could call an end to it once a Prewett really got going. To the other girls, it was more than clear enough that this was nothing they wanted to be around, close friends with Molly or not.

In fact, everyone else in the room seemed quite aware of what was going on as well and the common room cleared out so quickly, that it was hardly a minute's time before there was no one left in the area but Arthur and Molly.

Arthur blinked with a fidget before giving a tentative smile and saying in a congenial, if somewhat hesitant sounding, voice, "Hello Molly. How are you this morning?"

Molly gave him an incredulous look before opening her mouth as her hands quickly and firmly clenched tightly at her sides. Arthur, seeing the tempest was about to let loose its fury, winced noticeably as he braced himself.

"Hello Molly? Hello Molly! Arthur Weasley! That's what you say first thing after sauntering in here at eight in the morning is simply 'Hello Molly?' And what on earth do you mean, 'How am I this morning?' You want to know how I am? I've been up sitting in this chair since four AM waiting for you to get back and here you are, just making it back four hours later! You told me that you would lead Pringle on, lose him and then get right back here! I came back to the common room thinking 'that's all he's going to do. Lose the caretaker and get right back to the tower. Couldn't possibly take him more than a few minutes at most. Sure it's nothing to worry about.' But no! Here you are, four hours later, waltzing in with a 'Hello Molly' as though nothing at all had happened."

"Ah, well, you see, Molly…um…sometimes things don't always go as planned…" started Arthur hopefully.

"I suppose not! Least of all, it seems, with you. I went out there with you. You had me completely convinced that we were perfectly fine…that nothing could happen. You had me so sure that all you had to do was run a bit and you'd be right behind me. But you weren't. And then I waited up thinking that any moment you'd walk through and everything would be just fine. But you didn't, Arthur, and I waited up."

Arthur tilted his head as he suddenly realized what she was talking about. It wasn't really about his coming in after four hours and acting as though nothing had happened. It was about her thinking she couldn't believe him. Trust. Belief in his word… That was the issue at hand.

He _had_ told her he would be right along, cockily assured that he would be. But when he wasn't, she'd been left to sit here and worry about what was going on, and with her being the worrier she naturally was, well, it didn't take a genius to figure out that she'd stewed about it and thus manage to blow it all out of proportion.

No, he hadn't said '_he promised _to be right behind her,' but to her, his convincing attitude was as good as a promise. She'd trusted him to follow through and he hadn't. He had reason certainly, but he knew that wasn't good enough for not doing exactly as she'd expected him to. He'd consider himself in the wrong for this, for her, and he was most assuredly going to tell her so. He certainly hadn't waited almost two years to pluck up the nerve to even tell her of his interest just to lose it through an instance such as this.

Catching her in a brief pause she'd taken to get a breath with which to continue, Arthur quickly put his hands up before him in a supplicating gesture and said quietly, "You're right, Molly."

"I -- what?" Molly asked in surprise with a wary look.

Arthur nodded as he continued in his calm tone.

"You're completely right. I said I would do something, told you I would be right in, and I failed you. You trusted that I was going to keep my word, but I didn't. I wasn't able to, not that I'm going to let that be an excuse, but I should have tried a little harder. I let you down, Molly. I worried you, and I am sorry. I never meant to. Honestly."

Molly blinked slowly and Arthur could see her anger ebbing away as her incensed expression began to soften. Though Arthur could say that her fiery spirit, that indomitable will, was one of the things he adored most about her, he much preferred that she didn't have to show her strength of character so fiercely because of hurt. Now, if he had playfully instigated her temper for the sole purpose and pleasure of watching her fuss and fume over nothing, that would have been completely different.

"You're…sorry?"

Arthur nodded once noting the young woman's slight confusion. He thought perhaps it was because no one had ever conceded her an argument because they really thought she was right. Or perhaps she was just surprised that he had actually figured out what she had really been meaning all along even if she herself hadn't. In either case, it was a novel moment and Molly was clearly trying to figure a way to respond. Trying and, surprisingly, failing.

Arthur smirked inwardly. A Molly Prewett without word was something just as unique as the moment more than likely was from her point of view.

"Well." Molly broke her eye contact with Arthur and looked about distractedly. "Well."

She huffed slightly.

"I suppose…I suppose that as long as you're apologizing, I should probably apologize too."

Arthur shook his head. "You haven't a thing to apologize for, Molly."

"Of course I do. I didn't have to yell at you like I did. It's just…I was worried and upset…I didn't know where you'd gone off… I don't even know what happened to you and here I am nearly taking your head off."

Arthur couldn't help it. He smiled broadly and letting his natural bent for humor run with it, said, "In a rush to put me in the same crowd as old Nick, are you?"

"It's a small enough crowd you know," said a rather flat voice from the left as Nearly Headless Nick came gliding through with a slightly miffed look at Arthur for so casually dismissing his own position in death. "We could always use some new company. The more the sadder as we say."

Then to Molly he said, "Remember. Not half way and not all the way. Only nearly."

With that, he exited the other side of the common room.

Arthur and Molly looked at each in disbelief before Arthur smirked with a flick of his thumb in the direction the Gryffindor Ghost had gone. "With lively and rousing company like that, I think I would rather be headless."

Molly rolled her eyes skyward with a shake of her head and Arthur chuckled. He watched as she sighed and then looked back at him.

"Really, Arthur. I am sorry. It wasn't fair of me to get angry like that at you."

Arthur shook his head as he stepped forward, "No, I told you, Molly. There's no reason for you to apologize. You were perfectly justified in worrying and I should have tried more to get here as quickly as I'd promised you."

There was no reply from Molly to that and, noticing that she had turned her eyes to look downward, Arthur wondered for a moment why.

"Arthur! What happened to you?"

It struck him then. The limp. She'd noticed it. In focusing so completely on Molly, he'd entirely forgotten that his ankle had been hurt and now that he was walking, it made itself known once more.

Arthur stopped and gave a chagrined half smile and Molly quickly came over to stand in front of him, her eyes blazing for an explanation.

"What happened, Arthur?" she insisted. "Why ever are you limping?"

The young man looked down in embarrassment. "Ah. Well, that would be because I tripped."

"Tripped?" she asked incredulously.

"Tripped," he confirmed.

"Is that why you were so late getting back?"

"In part."

"Well, what's the other part?"

"Because I tripped, I was caught."

"Caught? By Pringle?"

He nodded.

Molly gasped, her eyes going wide. "Oh Arthur! He caught you? What did he do? Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, did he?"

The smile had faded from Arthur's face and unable to look at Molly_and_ lie to her at the same time, he averted his eyes.

"Not…really, no."

Molly's firm warning tone issued forth, compelling him to look back at her hesitantly.

"_Arrrrthuuuuur_…"

Now it was his turn to sigh. He was going to have to tell her. There was just no other way around it. One other notable thing about Prewetts besides their tempers was their unwillingness to let anyone weasel out of something.

"When I was coming around the front of the school, I tripped on that bit of stone sticking out of the ground just past the corner and twisted my ankle as I went down. I slide down it a few feet, got a bit scraped, but other than that…"

Molly grabbed his right hand and inspected the palm for scrapes or cuts to verify the fall just as he knew she would. What he hadn't expected was that she saw something more. As her left hand continued to hold his right, the fingers of her other hand trailed up to push the unbuttoned cuff of his sleeve up and away carefully, revealing a series of dark bruises and deeper vertical cuts, complete with dry (and not so dry) blood, on his wrist. She quickly checked his other wrist and found more of the same.

She looked up at him, the hurt in her eyes shining so clearly he immediately looked away remorsefully.

"You weren't going to tell me about this?" Molly asked in whispered incredulity.

He was sure the expression he gave her probably looked as pathetic as he sounded.

"I didn't want to worry you more."

"Of course. What you want is the important factor. What about what _I_ want? Arthur, we need to be clear about something right now. If we really are to be more than just good friends, then you're going to have to accept that I have expectations too, one of which includes that you _NOT_ hide anything from me and that you understand I am perfectly able and willing to share the responsibilities for actions taken. This is just as much my fault as yours and I want to know right now exactly what our actions last night have done to you."

Arthur looked into Molly's earnest soft eyes before he nodded. He should have known she would never accept less. Her opinion with relationships was about partnership. It was equal in every way or it wasn't going to happen. Her mother's over dominant ruling of her family had more than clearly established in the young woman's mind that such a totalitarian lifestyle, be it by husband or wife, was not going to work in her relationships and she would not let it.

"What did he do?" she asked softly.

"After I tripped, I rolled across the rest of the rocks then tried to get up, but my ankle hurt too much. Next thing I knew, Pringle had my ear and was practically yanking it off my head forcing me to stand and walk with him down to the dungeons. I tried to tell him I'd hurt my ankle, but he wasn't listening. He was so busy going off on a tangent about the rules and how best to punish me that I don't think he heard me complain or noticed how I was walking."

Still holding his hands in hers, Molly gently led Arthur to move before the chair she'd only recently vacated and encouraged him to sit by guiding him with a careful prod backwards. Arthur gratefully settled into the chair as she'd insisted and stretched his still throbbing ankle out before him slowly as he went on.

"He placed a set of manacles on my wrists, then hauled me up 'till I was off the floor. It wasn't far, but it was enough that my full weight was hanging by my wrists. He asked me a few questions, then he just left me hanging. I was there until all of twenty minutes before I came back in here. When he let me down, it took me almost ten minutes before I could put my arms down straight at my sides. He said he'd been nice and to consider _that_ my warning. He said I only did about three hours, but repeat offenders get hauled up all the way to the ceiling and they hang there all night. Sometimes longer."

Molly pulled a chair over on which to sit and proceeded to unlace Arthur's shoe. She was trying to be as gentle as she possibly could, but every movement sent little knives of pain stabbing into his ankle causing him to grimace, unable to say another word until the shoe was off. She rolled the sock down to expose his foot and he saw as she made her own frown at how swollen his ankle was.

"You should go see Madame Hollis. She'll be able to take care of this in a second."

At the idea of going to the infirmary, Arthur nearly jumped out of the chair.

"No," he said firmly.

Molly looked at him surprise.

"What? Arthur, don't be silly. You have to. Your ankle is bad enough as it is, but your wrists…what if they get infected?"

"I'll risk it," was the young man's reply.

"And what if I won't?" she challenged.

"Molly, if I go to the infirmary, Madame Hollis won't even need to ask questions. She's ancient. She's been here since before _my_ grandparents were here. She'll know without a guess what caused the cuts on my wrists. She'll have seen it before even if not for a long time. She'll ask questions and if I don't answer them, she'll go to Pringle and ask. Then he'll tell her, she'll tell the headmaster and then he'll come asking questions. I could get expelled for this and if, heaven forbid, they discovered you were involved, then you could be too," he stated resolutely. "Molly, Pringle told me that part of my warning included that he wouldn't say anything to anyone this time. It was on me to do and act better now that I had some idea of what was in store for me if I was caught again."

The young woman huffed in irritation.

"So what if they ask or know? I think you should tell the headmaster anyway. You'll have these taken care of and not risk any more pain and injury then you've already had to suffer. And I find it hard to believe that any headmaster would really let such a thing happen in this day and age. For goodness sakes, Arthur! It's the 1960's, not the 1460's."

"No, Molly. Pringle asked what I was doing out there. He asked who I was meeting…what I had done. And I didn't say a thing. Not a word. I didn't tell him about you, or how long I'd really been out there, or anything. He probably would have let me go easier if I'd admitted everything, but I couldn't do that. I couldn't get you in trouble too."

Molly seemed to study him for a long moment.

"So you didn't tell him about me? You took that awful punishment because you didn't want me to get in trouble as well? You really didn't say anything?"

"Not a word."

The young woman fixed him with a level gaze and replied, "I don't mind getting in trouble, Arthur."

Arthur returned the look and responded, "_I_ mind you getting in trouble."

Molly looked at his hands, then his ankle.

"You understand I don't agree with this in the least."

He nodded.

"And if I let this go and it gets worse," she continued, "I'm not going to be very happy."

"I wouldn't expect you to be," he agreed somberly.

The witch sighed heavily.

"Alright. You stay right here and we'll take care of these. I can wash and the bandage your wrists well enough and you'll have to rest the ankle, but I'll need to see if I can get something to keep infection away."

"Ask Professor Valarian for some of her homemade Comfrey Root poultice," suggested Arthur. "I know Madame Hollis uses it on cuts all the time. Just tell her you want it to study and experiment on for extra credit in Potions or something. I don't think she'll ask questions of you and definitely not of Professor Slughorn. She can't stand him."

Molly made a repulsed face.

"Neither can I. He's almost as arrogant as Lucius Malfoy. Arthur, are you sure Comfrey Root will be enough for this?"

"It'll have to be Molly."

"Alright, but promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"Promise me that you'll try not to get caught in such an awful position again. No more daring nighttime rendezvous, no more scoffing at the rules and no more risks. I won't have you getting hurt or in trouble. Certainly not alone and certainly not for me." She held up his torn and ravaged wrists. "I'm not worth this."

Arthur leaned forward to look at her, intensity in his eyes.

"Molly Prewett, You are worth the risk of a thousand times worse, a thousand times over."

Molly returned his gaze, a strange mix of disbelief and awe written upon her features and as her eyes shone brightly, Arthur watched her lips slowly pull up into a shy smile, her cheeks turning red at the same time.

Arthur smiled.

A speechless Molly twice in one morning? He was getting rather good at this.

"Well," she said, finally breaking the moment as she stood and started to head towards the portrait hole, Arthur's eyes tracking her as far as he could. "I should go and get that poultice now."

Leaning his head on the high back of the chair, Arthur continued to smile through the dull aching pain of both his ankle and his wrists as he reexamined in his mind the loveliness of a red-faced, flustered Molly Prewett. To his mind, there was really nothing finer.

The picture frame door gave the softest of squeaks as Molly opened it, and a moment after he was sure she stepped out, Arthur could hear the Fat Lady say to her, "Heading off to breakfast and not more trouble, I hope."

"No," came Molly's stiff reply. "Though it's no one's business but my own, I'm going to go see a teacher."

There was a pause as the portrait began to swing shut before he heard Molly add, "Oh, and you should know that _he_ didn't blame me or say a word about me being with him. So it looks like you were wrong this time. That would make him better than most boys you've seen come through here then, wouldn't you say?"

Arthur grinned.

"Oh yes," he re-affirmed aloud to no one but himself. "Definitely worth any risk."

And hopefully, she would someday soon say the same about him.

* * *

A/N: And there it is. Part 2, as promised. Hope you all enjoyed my little Arthur and Molly fic. Just a quick note...I made a few minor changes to Part 1, most of which you probably won't even notice if you go back and re-read. But they were little things that to me, were not quite right. I'd say the biggest change was was the gameskeeper. I had the name 'Oden' written when it was supposed to be 'Ogg'. 

The only other thing I changed was where Arthur asks Molly "It doesn't matter that my brother, my parents, they might not approve of this?" It now reads "It doesn't matter that my brother, and your parents, they might not approve of this?" To me this reads better as Arthur's parents, Septimus Weasley and Cedrella Black, probably wouldn't have been as upset over the choice as they themselves are considered Blood traitors and for a Black, you really can't do worse than to be disowned right out of the Black Family tree. Molly's uncle, Ignatius Prewett, however, married Lucretia Black, and their names are still included on the Black Family tree. Nothing is said about Molly's mother and father, but I some how question the chances of her uncle remaining in good standing if the rest of her family had major issues.

Now about the inclusion of Lucius into this... By the time line I constructed for A&M in the HP world, I have Lucius as a third year (having been born in 1954) at the time Arthur was a seventh year and Molly a sixth year. There is never anything exact about dates for A&M except the years in which the children were born. It's suggested that Molly was born no later than 1950, so, I choose this year for both Arthur (Feb) and Molly (Oct). I highly doubt Arthur is younger, so in my mind that would remove them from being in the same year at Hogwarts. I don't like the idea of poor Arthur having to wait two years for Molly to get done at Hogwarts before they elope. I'm given of the interreptation that Molly and Arthur had married just as Voldemort's power and destructive ruthlessness was really becoming the massive wave (in about 1970). At any rate, to get to the point, I like this arrangement as it gives Arthur and Lucius even more time to learn to dispise each other to the degree with which they do. It opens up a wonderful world of possibility for early interaction between the two from a writers point of veiw and I've been tossing around a few ideas in that regard. It doesn't matter that Arthur is older than Lucius. Lucius's money and attitude even then would have had him acting like he owned the world. Add to that fact that he and Arthur are total opposites and are really related, if some what confusingly, and you have a powder keg. Besides the fatherly aspect, it's really no wonder why Arthur started swinging at him in Flourish and Blotts. Just for the record...I was rooting for Arthur all the way. :D

And yes, Comfrey Root is a real root that can be made into salve/poultice of sorts to encourage fast healing of cuts and such.


End file.
